Christianity’s legal situation in the Empire changed in AD 313, when Constantine issued the Edict of Milan. The year before, just prior to the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Constantine claimed to have had a vision from God, after which Jesus appeared to him in a dream and explained what he needed to do. Constantine had his soldiers paint Christian symbols on their shields, and when he won against his opponents’ superior forces, he took it as a sign from God and converted to Christianity. The Edict of Milan followed in short order, making Christianity a legal religion.
